Georgia Power and its parent, Southern Co., are supporting Georgia’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with $1.625 million in funding through the Southern Company Foundation. The grants will be used for technology tools, infrastructure, professional development and tech support for the 2020-2021 academic year. The gift is part of Southern Co.’s and its subsidiaries’ $50 million HBCU Initiative, a multi-year funding strategy announced in January 2020 that provides HBCU students with scholarships, internships, leadership development and access to technology and innovation to support career readiness.
In Georgia, the six HBCUs receiving support are: Albany State University, Clark Atlanta University, Fort Valley State University, Morehouse College, Savannah State University and Spelman College.
The latest round of grants total $5.1 million, including the $1.625 million contribution, will be awarded to help alleviate challenges created by the pandemic through funding technology tools, infrastructure support, professional development and IT services to select undergraduate HBCUs within Southern Co.’s service footprint in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Virginia.
Georgia Power is a part of a growing group of organizations who have increased support for HBCUs in the wake of the pandemic and mounting calls for racial equity and social justice. The company also has an active recruiting strategy with HBCUs for internships, cooperative education programs and full-time positions.
“Georgia Power has been a longtime partner of HBCUs in our state, and I am proud we can build on our support of these important institutions through these grants,” said Chris Womack, president of Georgia Power. “Not only are these schools innovating for the future, they are also helping lead racial equity efforts across Georgia. Every dollar we are able to invest in them is an investment in future leaders for our state and our communities.”
